DENVER — In September 2018, a three-day musical festival took over the Overland Park golf course in Denver.
Even though Grandoozy is not returning this year, its impact is still being felt in Denver’s Overland Park Neighborhood.
Here’s how:
Grandoozy generated $413,327 in seat tax revenue for the city of Denver.
That money is being split up into three areas: the neighborhood, parks, and the golf course. Each one will get $137,775.
"That money was tied to ticket sales at the event so as soon as the event was over there was money that came in and it was earmarked to go to three different places," said Denver City Councilman Jolon Clark. "One, money spent at the Golf Course. Two, money spent at a park. And three was neighborhood money that was a little broader but had o be spent in the area."
City-owned Overland Golf Course has decided to use the funds to improve bathroom facilities.
Community members pitched ideas on how to use the rest of the money, Clark said. City planners went through the various proposals and chose two options that fit the budget and meet the community’s needs.
There will be improvements made to Florida Avenue’s pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure between Ruby Hill Park and the surrounding neighborhood.
The Sanderson Gulch Pollinator Project will create Denver’s first dedicated space for pollinator-friendly plants and amenities.
Both projects are in the planning phase.
Grandoozy is under contract with Denver through 2022, but organizers will not say if or when they will hold another festival.
If there is another festival Clark said this process of generating, allocating, and putting sales tax money from ticket sales to work will begin again.
The festival was organized by Superfly, a company that is also behind well-known festivals like Bonaroo and Outside Lands.
Grandoozy brought more than 60 musical acts to four stages in Overland Park Golf Course, which was closed for two weeks after the festival for repairs to the turf.
The festival grabbed headlines for its lack of parking.
Attendees were instead encouraged to bike, take electric scooters, call a rideshare like Uber or Lyft, or to use mass transit.
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